Buckle



M. H. BALLARD BUCKLE Fi1ed sept. 14,' 1942 July 31, 1945.Y

Patented July 31, 1945 uNl'rEo s'rA'rEs PATENT oEElcE BUCKLE Mary Heloise Ballard, Chicago, lll. Applieauen september 14, 1942, serial No. 458,317 2 claims. (o1. 24-163) This invention relates more directly toa belt buckle and more particularly to the covering thereof. This application is a continuation of my pending application Ser. No. 411,175, filed September 1'?, 1941.

It isamong the objects of this invention to provide a covering for a buckle that can be readily assembled on a buckle frame or removed therefrom and replaced by a differentcovering in design or color to blend with or match the garments worn.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a covering in the form of a fabric tube which is stretchable or distortable to conform to and closely t different shapes or different sized crosssections of the buckle frame.

With these and other objects in View which will become apparent as the description proceeds, this invention comprises the novel structure and method hereinafter described and more particuextends transversely. When such a cut piece of fabric is formed into a tube as will later be explained, the warp and weft will become helical.

This strip of fabric is then folded lengthwise upon itself and stretched or put under tension as indicated in Fig. 3 and it is ystitched while under tension to form a tube. Stitchingthe fabric under tension provides what may be termed a larly pointed out and defined in the appended 'l claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred form and method of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Fig. l is a plan view of a piece of fabric cut on a bias involving a part of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the fabric folded upon itself and under longitudinal tension for stitching purposes.

Fig". 4 is an end elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan vicw rof the completed tube reversed and ready for application to a buckle frame.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 'l is an elevational view of a buckle frame with a portion of a covering tube being telescoped thereon.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 but with the cover telescoped thereon.

Fig. 9 is a plan'view of a modified form of buckle with parts broken away. j

Fig. 1') is a sectional view taken upon the line lll-Hl of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but illustrating a modified form of securing the ends of the covering. 1

Referring now to the drawing` there is shown in Fig. l a suitable strip .of fabric I which is cut cn a bias; that is, it is out oblique to the warp which extends longitudinally and the weft which l stretched over a buckle frame.

Yso

loose seam when the tube contracts into the position shown in Fig. 5 and allows the tube to be longitudinally stretched or put under tension when applied to the buckle frame. When sewing the material in a machine, it is possible to put the same under sufficient tension for this purpose.

After the stitching operation,` the tube is reversed; that is, it is turned inside out to bring the seam vwithin the interior so that it will be concealed from view. In some forms of the invention, both ends of the tube mayremain open and the open ends anchored to the buckle frame. In other forms, one end of the tube may be closed to serve as a stop when the tube is telescoped and When it is desired to close one end of the tube, the edge can be turned to provide a double thickness and to improve the appearance as is well known in the art.

The fabric tube 2 should be made of a size or width to substantially correspond to the greatest cross-sectional area of the buckle frame which as a rule varies in cross-section. The buckle frame may have portions considerably smaller than the largest cross-section thereof, nevertheless, the longitudinal stretching or distortion in is application to the frame will cause the tube to nicely conform to such smaller portions-as can readily be observed by observing Fig. 9.

In Fig. 7, there is shownV a buckle frame 4 having reduced or tapering portions 4a which merge into the terminal portions which are provided with holes 5 thru which the end portions Vof the tube may be stitched to anchor the same on the frame in taut relation. When such stitching holes, are used, both ends of the tube may be left open, especially when it is desired to provide a gap .closing or concealing tail on one end .2, M y l stitched to" the )frame 5 thruthe adjacent hole, The stitching ofthe sheathV may' take ,placel an inch"or fraction thereorfrorn the endof the x' isheath toprovide a free end portionjor tailf" L 2a Whichmay be used ,to `close and .conceal the:k ."-gap between the terminalsl of therbucklefframef.

f buckle andsecuring jxchorin'g means.

.InFigafQ fand 10A by extending thesame across suchfgap, telescopproved n'ianner;'v

With oneend of the same may be stretched andioaused to conform` to: and closely fit the reduced partsafof the);` buckle frame as shown in E iggav 'Ihisgstretching or tensioning vmay bei done bymerelyf-pulling on the `free end portion of theshe'ath.' T When the sheath'becomes' properly ntted to the rame by:

Lthe stretching distortion, 'the'free end maybe` anchored l`to the:I frame byv stitching -extending 'thru the adjacent' hole` 5. ABefore "stitching, the free endoi the sheathmay bezturnedfin'to pro-'L 1 vide va doublethicknes's andan improved 'annue-ar'.A y v 'anceasindicatedatB-iri 18; I'loisstitching l is designedgtomaintain the sheath under proper l However-,the elti forms rib Pltofihs .invention .pandcloseiitting tensioniA I l' f i i w Fig.l1l rslicnivs-f t.l ie samebuckleas in Figfsc-'l and. y 8 but" illustrates "an additional Irietliodvofy 'securf 'ingfthe ends koi the' sheath. to` maintainthe same in tautreiation on the fratrie;- In this flgurejthey lends 2b of. thejsheath' 2 are-drawn outwardly; -ziiattened and rivetedtogetherbyan eyelet 9," anoperation which may be jspeedilygperformed fon* aff `machine or by aitool. 'I hlsmethod results in also"I i "closing for., concealing the gapbetween .theter'mif ,nais-,fof `the -buckle frain e,1 While Fig. '-il,a lso showsvstitchirig as in `8,-such stitching 3 lmayb'ei dispensed withnif desired vwhen sucheye'e; flets arel used.. "Thestitchinghowever provides-n 'I additionallstrength'withrespectto the end anthere-is Vshovvn'a modified I form lof buclderwliich consists'ofja i'rameplate l 'I0 having underturned terminalv portions v`I| one f y' .of whichis provided-With a belt fastening tongue orhook I2. -It will bejnoted thai-:tine frame i `plate i0 has arelativelywide central portion lila 1 and wideends| 0b with curved depressions or valleys, I3 I )etvyeen the vcentral portionand the kendsp` the closed end, In this modification,- the- 'anchor-'-4 ing stitching is indicatedbythereference Il. With the left hand end f'oi.' the slieathancbored vaslabove explained, any pull upon fthel vright handl fend portion-willjstretchor 'putthesheath under* f ,-longitudinaltensionfwhich will,cause'tl'ie'tiibe to transverselycontractand'conform to and close l j I 'ly fitv the valleysv Iii-fand infact the entire buckle firanien'` With'theltubeuxiderfproper tension vand distortionas' itl were,`the-free end may l'iei'arir` |y by stitch ing l1 o rinany suitableniari'ner, l f

` ingfthe same'upon the opposite terminal of the -jthe sarr'ie` theretoingny 3pmy .the tube'thuswise anchored.'l

yframe I0 ismade of a-uniform. size' or width to that :the greatest'width or. cross-sectional area of ,the 'buckle frame is shown as approximately twicethewidth or cross-sectional area of the `It' Wi11 be" understoodt at any, 'suitable ing means may 4be used` forf'f'anchoring the, ends-Y offthe.. sheathi instead 'or stitching',': eyelets may l berused ior'ianchoriiiglthe-ends of: the/sheath as s hovm'inFig.l 1 j1 oriotherisuitablefastening means innig; 1 0. portions fofa ladysjbelti Gareshown associated withjithe -buck1e; oneportion-being attached vto tl'ie-. covering,adjacent the 'terminal of the `traine and the.- other being attached to a'l hored and-secured toA 'its terminal i keeper: i'that is vadaptedfto ynt;- over` the. hook I 2.

V. eirce-ptas'itmay'comperato therewith.,A

From .the fore'ginglt Shold belapparent that i y, this inventio'n:producesziniportant new'results'in covering buckles oiin making buckles,rv especially ladies -buckles.;--l'or example, Y the tubular' covnr :eringcanreadily .be replacediwhenworn or it canbereplaced by a covering ofadiilerent color i l. 'ordesignto blendjwith orinat'ch the :desired garf meritl`A flhen the'tlibular lcovering1can be: dis-f torted under tension to conform to l and closely vfitr unequal y of the buckle frame so that, it :only 'is'. necessary: to makeY the tubular-covering ,'tocorrespnd to the largest portionof the buckle:

inadditiongthe .covering ltube may be made of l uniformsizeorwidtlfi. l Iam awarethatvarious-changes may be made i within the spiritof this' invention so I do not propose to limit the patentgranted thereon othpehded claims.

erwise than necessitatedjby the prior artand ap- Iclaim-as my invention:

ferent lateral vdimension tapering into-the ter.

minal portions, a fabric tube covering said frame and Vhaving helical Warp and weft 'and having a maximumlateral' dimension corresponding to the dimension of the wide portion of said frame;l said tube having a longitudinally extending loose and stretchable seam, said tube being in-tau't relation on said frame with theends secured at said terminal portions, said loose seam allowing `said. tube' to contract when'under tension 'for most restrictedzwidth or cross-sectional area, and l g that it tapers toward thevrestricted portion. .How`

' everjthis ratio can'be increased to 3 to`l if des'ired, .or reduced likewise; the` tube due to 'the loosev and' .stretchablej seam will closely andV smoothly 'conform to such irregularities. I'his isl an important feature since suchirregular buckles are making the greatest progress in the art. This ,tube or sheath is adapted to be slipped or telescoped over the left hand terminal of the plate l0 until the closed end H thereof engages snugly and smoothly conforming tothe restricted portions of said frame. Y

2, A buckle,v comprising a frame having terminal portions 'andanfintermediate portion of a lateraldimension tapering' into materially narrower portions, a fabric tube covering said frame and having helical warp and weft andhaving'a maximum lateral dimension corresponding to the dimensionfof the wide portion oi.' the frame, said tube having a longitudinally extending loose and the end oi' the plate It which may also be prostretchable seam in taut relation on said frame 'with the end portions secured iorfmaintaining said taut relation, said lo'ose seam allowing said tube to contract when under tension for snugly and smoothly conforming to the narrower portions of the frame.

MARY HELOISE BAILARD.

secur- 

